Thursday
Evening Bible Study
August 2,
2007
Chapters 1-4 Early Days
The fulfillment of prophecy – One of Matthew’s intentions seems to be to
let you and I know that Jesus was not some guy that showed up and accidentally
took center stage. Jesus was the
Promised One. His coming was spoken of
by the ancient prophets. I counted seven
references in these first four chapters to fulfilled prophecy.
Mat. 1: Genealogy & Birth
We are given Joseph’s genealogy that goes from Abraham to David, through
the kings, through the Babylonian captivity, to Jesus’ step-dad, Joseph. The genealogy isn’t a detailed one that lists
every generation, but gives an overview of these generations.
The record of Jesus’ birth from Joseph’s perspective.
Mat. 2: Wise men, Egypt,
Nazareth
The wise men showed up and Herod became paranoid that he was going to lose
his kingdom. Jesus’ family flees to Egypt
while Herod is killing babies. After
Herod’s death, the family settles into the northern town of Nazareth.
Mat. 3: John baptizes Jesus
John the Baptist appears on the historical stage. His job is to get people ready to meet the
Messiah. When the Messiah shows up,
Jesus asks John to baptize Him. The
Spirit falls on Jesus and the Father speaks.
Mat. 4: Temptation, ministry begins
Jesus is in the wilderness fasting.
He is tempted by Satan. Jesus
begins His ministry in Galilee. Jesus’ first public statement is exactly like
John’s message: “Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand”. Jesus calls some
fishermen and begins to minister to multitudes.
This is the first time we meet Simon Peter:
(Mat 4:18-20 NKJV) And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers,
Simon called Peter, and Andrew his
brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. {19} Then He said
to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." {20} They
immediately left their nets and followed Him.
Chapters 5-20 Galilee Ministry
We know from the gospel of John that Jesus actually went back and forth
from Galilee to Jerusalem
several times during his three year ministry.
Matthew simply organizes Jesus’ ministry into the Galilee Ministry (chs.
5-20) and the Jerusalem Ministry (chs. 21-28).
The first three chapters are the “Sermon on the Mount”.
Mat. 5: S.O.M. - New ideas
Jesus talks about true blessings. He
says we are salt and light. Over and
over Jesus says, “You have heard it said”.
He then presents the correct view on the subjects of murder, adultery,
divorce, oaths, loving others.
Mat. 6: S.O.M. - Prayer, worry
Jesus teaches on giving and prayer, and not to do things seen by men, but
by God. He teaches about what true
riches are, and about anxiety.
Let’s read this middle chapter of the Sermon. Circle or underline the verses in the sermon that
hit home to you tonight.
(Mat 6 NKJV) "Take heed that you do not do your
charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward
from your Father in heaven. {2} "Therefore, when you do a charitable deed,
do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in
the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they
have their reward. {3} "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your
left hand know what your right hand is doing, {4} "that your charitable
deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward
you openly. {5} "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites.
For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets,
that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
{6} "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut
your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who
sees in secret will reward you openly. {7} "And when you pray, do not use
vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for
their many words. {8} "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father
knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. {9} "In this manner,
therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. {10} Your kingdom
come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. {11} Give us this day our
daily bread. {12} And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. {13} And
do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is
the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. {14} "For if you
forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. {15}
"But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses. {16} "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the
hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they
may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their
reward. {17} "But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
{18} "so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father
who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you
openly. {19} "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth
and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; {20} "but lay up
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and
where thieves do not break in and steal. {21} "For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also. {22} "The lamp of the body is the eye. If
therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. {23}
"But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If
therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
{24} "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and
love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You
cannot serve God and mammon. {25} "Therefore I say to you, do not worry
about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body,
what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than
clothing? {26} "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor
reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of
more value than they? {27} "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to
his stature? {28} "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies
of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; {29} "and yet I
say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these. {30} "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is,
and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you
of little faith? {31} "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we
eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' {32} "For after
all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you
need all these things. {33} "But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. {34} "Therefore
do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Mat. 7: Judging, Seeking, False
prophets, Obedience
Jesus warns about judging others. He
encourages people to keep asking God for help.
There will be false prophets.
Obeying Jesus is the safest way to build your life.
Mat. 8: Healing, Storm, Pigs
Jesus heals a leper, a centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law, and many
others. Jesus calms the storm. He casts
out demons and the pigs drown.
Mat. 9: More healings
Jesus heals and forgives a paralytic.
Jesus spends time with sinners like Matthew. Jesus heals a bloody woman, raises a dead
girl, heals blind and deaf people.
(Mat 9:35-38 NKJV) Then Jesus went about all the cities and
villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. {36} But when He
saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were
weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. {37} Then He said to His
disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. {38}
"Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His
harvest."
Mat. 10: Sending the Twelve
Jesus picks out twelve men to be His apostles. This is the next time Peter is singled out by
name:
(Mat 10:1-2 NKJV) And when He had called His twelve disciples
to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal
all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. {2} Now the names of the twelve
apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother…
Jesus sends twelve out on a short “mission trip” with instructions on what
to do, who to speak to, and warnings about the difficulties ahead.
Mat. 11: John wonders, Unbelief rebuked
John the Baptist is in prison and wonders if Jesus is really the one. Jesus talks about the greatness of John. Jesus rebukes the cities that wouldn’t
respond to His miracles. He says,
(Mat 11:28-30 NKJV) "Come to Me, all you who labor and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} "Take My yoke upon you and
learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. {30} "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Mat. 12: Sabbath problems,
Opposition
The disciples are rebuked for eating grain on the Sabbath. Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath. The Pharisees are now actively plotting to
destroy Jesus. They accuse Jesus of
using demons. Jesus warns them about
blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
Mat. 13: Parables, Nazareth
rejection
Jesus teaches using many parables. He
talks about the sower and the soils, the wheat and the tares, the mustard seed,
leaven, hidden treasures, and the dragnet.
When Jesus goes to the town of Nazareth,
He is rejected.
Mat. 14: John dies, 5,000 fed, Water walking
The story of how John the Baptist was killed by Herod. Jesus feeds five thousand, then sends the
disciples off in a boat. Jesus shows up
in the middle of the night while they are rowing hard in a storm.
(Mat 14:28-33 NKJV) And Peter
answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You
on the water." {29} So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come
down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. {30} But when he
saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried
out, saying, "Lord, save me!" {31} And immediately Jesus stretched
out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why
did you doubt?" {32} And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
{33} Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly
You are the Son of God."
Mat. 15: Defilement, Dog faith,
4,000 fed
Jesus teaches about what really defiles a person – the heart. Peter has difficulty understanding the
concept.
(Mat 15:15-20 NKJV) Then Peter
answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." {16} So
Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? {17} "Do you
not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is
eliminated? {18} "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come
from the heart, and they defile a man. {19} "For out of the heart proceed
evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
blasphemies. {20} "These are the things which defile a man, but to eat
with unwashed hands does not defile a man."
A Gentile woman begs and Jesus heals her daughter. Jesus feeds another big group, this time
4,000.
Mat. 16: Warning about Pharisees, You are the Christ
Jesus warns His disciples about the teaching of the Pharisees. When Jesus asks the disciples who they think
He is…
(Mat 16:16-19 NKJV) Simon
Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God." {17} Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon
Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who
is in heaven. {18} "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this
rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against
it. {19} "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven."
When Jesus goes on to tell the guys that He is going to die in Jerusalem…
(Mat 16:22-24 NKJV) Then Peter
took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You,
Lord; this shall not happen to You!" {23} But He turned and said to Peter,
"Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful
of the things of God, but the things of men." {24} Then Jesus said to His
disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow Me.
Mat. 17: Transfiguration, Difficult
demon, taxes
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain and changes in
front of them, transfigured.
(Mat 17:4 NKJV) Then Peter
answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if
You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and
one for Elijah."
Mark tells us that Peter said that because he didn’t know what else to say.
(Mark 9:6)
When they come off the mountain, Jesus is faced with a demon that the other
disciples couldn’t cast out of a boy.
(Mat 17:14-21 NKJV) And when they had come to the multitude, a
man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, {15} "Lord, have mercy
on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into
the fire and often into the water. {16} "So I brought him to Your
disciples, but they could not cure him." {17} Then Jesus answered and
said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?
How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." {18} And Jesus
rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that
very hour. {19} Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why
could we not cast it out?" {20} So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for
assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to
this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be
impossible for you. {21} "However, this kind does not go out except by
prayer and fasting."
Then Jesus and Peter encounter the tax collector:
(Mat 17:24-27 NKJV) When they had come to Capernaum, those who
received the temple tax came to Peter and
said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?" {25} He said,
"Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him,
saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth
take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?" {26} Peter said
to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are
free. {27} "Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a
hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its
mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and
you."
Mat. 18: Humility, Forgiveness
Jesus teaches that the greatest is humble.
He teaches we must forgive.
(Mat 18:21-35 NKJV) Then Peter
came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against
me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" {22} Jesus said to him, "I
do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. {23}
"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to
settle accounts with his servants. {24} "And when he had begun to settle
accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. {25}
"But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with
his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. {26}
"The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have
patience with me, and I will pay you all.' {27} "Then the master of that
servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. {28}
"But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed
him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat,
saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' {29} "So his fellow servant fell down at
his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you
all.' {30} "And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he
should pay the debt. {31} "So when his fellow servants saw what had been
done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been
done. {32} "Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You
wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. {33} 'Should
you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on
you?' {34} "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers
until he should pay all that was due to him. {35} "So My heavenly Father
also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his
brother his trespasses."
Mat. 19: Divorce, Rich Young Ruler
Jesus teaches on divorce. Jesus
blesses children. Jesus tells the rich
young ruler to give up everything and follow Him, but the young fellow was
reluctant. Peter spoke up:
(Mat 19:27-28 NKJV) Then Peter
answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You.
Therefore what shall we have?" {28} So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly
I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne
of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat. 20: Same wage, Serving
Jesus tells the parable of the laborers who are all paid the same
wage. He again tells of His upcoming
death. Jesus teaches on serving:
(Mat 20:20-28 NKJV) Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him
with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. {21} And He said to
her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two
sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your
kingdom." {22} But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you
ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized
with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are
able." {23} So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be
baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand
and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared
by My Father." {24} And when the ten heard it, they were greatly
displeased with the two brothers. {25} But Jesus called them to Himself and
said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and
those who are great exercise authority over them. {26} "Yet it shall not
be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your
servant. {27} "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave;
{28} "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give His life a ransom for many."
Jesus heals two blind men in Jericho.
Chapters 21-28 Jerusalem
ministry
Mat. 21: Triumphal Entry, Temple
teaching
Jesus makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
He cleanses the temple. He withers a
fruitless fig tree.
Jesus teaches in the temple using parables:
The two sons, and the wicked farmers.
Mat. 22: Challenges to Jesus
Jesus tells the parable of the King’s Wedding Feast. Jesus is challenged by the Pharisees and
Sadducees in the Temple about
taxes, the resurrection, and the greatest commandment. Jesus stumps His enemies.
Mat. 23: Woe to Pharisees
Jesus rebukes the legalism of the scribes and Pharisees.
Mat. 24: End Times
Jesus talks about the signs of His Second Coming. Jesus said,
(Mat 24:36-44 NKJV) "But of that day and hour no one knows,
not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. {37} "But as the days
of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. {38} "For as
in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, {39} "and did
not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming
of the Son of Man be. {40} "Then two men will be in the field: one will be
taken and the other left. {41} "Two women will be grinding at the mill:
one will be taken and the other left. {42} "Watch therefore, for you do
not know what hour your Lord is coming. {43} "But know this, that if the
master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have
watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. {44} "Therefore you
also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Mat. 25: Second Coming
Jesus continues to talk about His Second Coming. He tells the parable of the ten virgins, the
talents, and the Sheep and the goats.
Mat. 26: Anointing, Betrayal, Last Supper,
Gethsemane, Trial
Mary anoints Jesus. Judas begins his
betrayal. Jesus celebrates the Passover and institutes communion. When Jesus warned the disciples that they
would all soon flee from Him…
(Mat 26:33-35 NKJV) Peter answered
and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will
never be made to stumble." {34} Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say
to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three
times." {35} Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I
will not deny You!" And so said all the disciples.
Jesus then went to Gethsemane to pray, taking Peter,
James, and John. After spending some
time praying…
(Mat 26:40-41 NKJV) Then He came to the disciples and found them
asleep, and said to Peter,
"What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? {41} "Watch and pray,
lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is
weak."
Jesus is arrested in Gethsemane and taken to
Caiaphas’ house.
(Mat 26:58 NKJV) But Peter
followed Him at a distance to the high priest's courtyard. And he went in
and sat with the servants to see the end.
Jesus is put on trial before the Sanhedrin. Peter is out in the
courtyard. Peter denies Jesus to
everyone that comes up to him.
(Mat 26:74-75 NKJV) Then he began to curse and swear, saying,
"I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. {75} And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who
had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three
times." So he went out and wept bitterly.
Mat. 27: Condemned, Scourged, Crucified
Judas hangs himself. Jesus is put on
trial before Pilate and is condemned.
Jesus is scourged and then led off to be crucified. Jesus dies and is buried in the tomb of
Joseph of Arimathea. Pilate orders a
guard to be put on the tomb.
Just like the beginning of the book, Matthew begins to pick up again on the
idea of fulfilled prophecy. He wants to
make sure the reader understands that Jesus’ death was not an accident but from
the beginning had been part of the plan.
I counted seven more references to fulfilled prophecy in these last
couple of chapters (there’s probably more):
(Mat 27:35 NKJV) Then they crucified Him, and divided His
garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet: "They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they
cast lots."
Mat. 28: Risen, Disciples Commissioned
Jesus rises from the dead and appears first to the women. The chief priests bribe the guards to say
that the disciples stole the body. Jesus
meets the eleven remaining disciples in Galilee. It’s while they’re in Galilee
that Jesus meets up with Peter again, and John records the situation:
(John 21:15-17
NKJV) So when they had eaten breakfast,
Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to
Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him,
"Feed My lambs." {16} He said to him again a second time,
"Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes,
Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My
sheep." {17} He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do
you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time,
"Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all
things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
Jesus didn’t abandon Peter because Peter had denied Him. Jesus sought Peter out. Jesus still had much work for Peter to do.
Matthew ends with Jesus giving some final orders to His disciples:
(Mat 28:18-20 NKJV) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. {19} "Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} "teaching them to
observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age." Amen.